


Burdens of Command

by ImperialRemnant



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Gen, Hurt Hux, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Worried Kylo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-19 12:03:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5966758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImperialRemnant/pseuds/ImperialRemnant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hux is hurt in battle, and it doesn't bode well with Kylo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Burdens of Command

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alley_Skywalker](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alley_Skywalker/gifts).



The viewport partly boasted a view of a planet below with evolving white clouds obstructing the mud green surface. TIE Fighters charged down, reducing to nothing as they headed to the planet’s surface.

“Sir, General Hux’s reinforcements have been sent,” A lieutenant spoke.

Unnecessary, since Kylo saw it, but he said nothing. He continued to be frustrated at the General for thinking he could even lead a ground battle. Sure, perhaps he  _could_ , but that didn’t matter. What mattered was thatKylo had more fighting skill and training while Hux was the one who could direct battles without getting into the midst of it.

Somehow they ended up like this. Not that it was insulting to be here. In fact, he’d been flattered that Hux had faith in him. What bothered him mainly was that Hux was down there.

 _But he’ll be fine_ , Kylo told himself. At least Hux could shoot. Having observed the General in the firing range once… twice… a few times, gave Kylo confidence in the other man's abilityhe never expected.

“Ren!” A voice from a comm prompted Kylo to turn and walk over to the comm unit.

“General Hux,” the mechanic tone of his voice filter offered no emotion, “I trust the reinforcements are of help?”

“Yes. They look to be retreating,” Came the reply, static distorting it, but he could still make out the speech. The background noises of blood curdling yells and blaster fires.

“Do not fall back yet, we must make sure they're _all_ dead.”

“I know. We’ve got a flank-,” and the connection broke. Only static.

“General?” Kylo asked, remaining as impassive as possible, suppressing a spike of fear.

“I have abad signal,” Hux’s voice came back, but the connection was poorer, and Kylo considered asking the comms officer to fix it. He decided against it.

 _Don’t show your feelings,_  he told himself.

He would have sighed out of relief too if his body language wouldn’t have cued anyone in on his feelings. “General, an update.”

“Our men have the upper- no wait- hang on.”

“General?”

“We should have the upper hand,” Hux said.

Should? That didn’t make Kylo happy. How could the General not know?

Hux continued, “I’ll just-,” and all they heard was what may have been a large explosion, if the comm hadn’t cut.

“Lieutenant!” Kylo looked at the comms officer, who hastily pressed buttons.

“It seems we’ve lost them, sir!” The officer said, appearing thoroughly nervous.

Kylo himself bashed at buttons with no effect.  _Stay calm_  he told himself. Maybe the comm cut - but that didn’t necessarily mean anything horrible had happened to Hux. He had to be fine.

Kylo would’ve believed it if the Force wasn’t screaming warnings.

“Contact Captain Phasma, find out what’s happening. Get more medics down there,” Kylo ordered, officers immediately following orders. Kylo himself strode – almost ran – out of the Finalizer’s bridge.

* * *

 The next hour? Excruciating.

He should’ve gone down there - to the planet’s surface. But if he did, it would have made things appear suspicious. 

Not like he didn’t look suspicious enough, he figured, as he paced along one end of the hanger. He spoke to no one, except for one officer who came up to inform him Captain Phasma had made contact.

“And?” Kylo spat, not wanting to deal with incompetence at the moment.

The Lieutenant stuttered out an answer, “The Resistance won, sir, and the First Order had to retreat.” 

“Have you heard from General Hux?” Kylo asked. He already knew the answer.

“No sir.”

Still, Kylo's heart sunk. He turned away from the Lieutenant and continued to pace. Where was the shuttle? The doctors went down ages ago. Maybe they were taking so long because they were trying to resuscitate him. No, don’t think about that. Hux had to be fine - he had to be.

Maybe if Kylo had gone down instead, he would have been unharmed.

When they finally landed back in the hanger, the medical team came rushing down, alongside them was a med unit upon which Hux lay unconscious.

“What happened?” Kylo asked, striding up, trying to make his voice sound calm. Uninterested.

“We’re not sure, sir,” One medic said, “But the doctors will diagnose him immediately when we get him to med bay.”

“He’ll survive?” Kylo asked, “I- We can’t run this Order without our best General.”

“We’re not sure yet, Milord. We’ll find out when we get him to the med bay.”

They were doing something to him, Kylo wasn’t sure what. But a needle on his arm, a mask put on his face, and they pushed him out of sight. Kylo nearly followed, but a doctor stopped him. He didn’t listen to the explanation properly, vaguely something about having to perform surgery. Kylo was tempted to lash out with his lightsaber, to hack away at the doctor, but his conscience told him not to, it won't do any good. 

At least the Force was with him and he sensed Hux, sensed he was alive. Staying outside the room he paced again, telling himself he shouldn’t make his emotions so obvious.

* * *

 Captain Phasma came by to report.

“There was a bomb, Sir. It was close to General Hux, but not close enough to blow him up.”

“That’s how we lost?” Kylo asked, having stopped pacing, turning to face Phasma instead.

“The Resistance almost annihilated us, they had more men, and the bomb was not entirely to blame.” She then nudged her head towards the med bay door, “I thought, since you’ve been here the whole time, perhaps you wanted to know what happened.”

Kylo stared. A creeping suspicion building inside him. He really hadn’t been careful but he can’t deny anything. “Thank you Captain, you’re dismissed,” he turned away, looking down.

Phasma walked off, catching the sight of her boots as she walked past.

 It was after the Captain left, and Kylo wasn’t sure how much time passed, when the med bay door opened. He looked up eagerly, but said nothing, not even knowing what to say.

“He’s in a coma, sir, but he’ll live.”

“A coma!?” Kylo asked, “When will he wake?”

The doctor said, “Head trauma. He shouldn’t be out long, but-,”

“Everyone out,” Kylo interrupted, pushing past them, shoving into the room.

“Sir!” One doctor in the room exclaimed.

“OUT!” He ordered. They recognized the unspoken threat and moved.

When they had left, Kylo stood at the end of the bed. There didn’t appear to be major damage, Hux’s face was only covered in cuts and bruises. This was his fault. He should have argued with Hux, should have insisted on his presence. But no, he gave in, let himself stay on the Finalizer.

He took his helmet off carefully, keeping it under one arm, moving to the General’s side. Stretching his hand out, he allowed it to hover above the bruises, but didn’t dareto touch.

“Fight it, you idiot,” Kylo said, not allowing himself to succumb to blubbering.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat there, but when he moved he went to sit on the floor in the corner of the room, helmet in his lap. Whenever he sensed someone come, he’d put his helmet back on and stand up, staring at whoever walked in. Usually a doctor. They never said a word - except once.

“Why are you in here, Milord?” a female doctor. Young. Perhaps she hadn’t been on the Finalizer for long. She checked Hux’s vitals, noting them down.

“The Force will help the General heal and only I can do it. He is important to the Order, as Supreme Leader Snoke has said,” He lied. It was all lies, but it was necessary.

“I see, sir,” the doctor said, “I apologize for intruding.”

“Be _careful_ , doctor,” Kylo threatened, and he noticed her stiffen, he sensed her fear. She looked at him before she left, her eyes betraying every aspect of her emotions.

* * *

 A lifetime - okay, eight days. Hux was comatose for eight days. It felt like a lifetime after Kylo had to leave the med bay. Circumstances forced him. He had a ship to run the ship, Snoke to report to, plans for future attacks.He’d occasionally drop in to see Hux, who remained unconscious.

But eight days after the incident, he was awake again.

Kylo walked in on Hux holding a sandwich, staring at it like it had insulted him.

“Did it tell you that you should replace your troopers with a clone army?” Kylo asked, standing at the door.

Hux looked up, his eyes wide. His bruises and cuts were almost healed, face a lot less pale. He was still visibly tired, but thatwas understandable.

“It told me I should replace you with a clone army,” Hux sighed as he put down the sandwich.

It was silent between them, Hux staring at the tray of food in front of him, looking nonetoo happy. Kylo took his helmet off, placing it on the foot of the bed, then he let himself erupt. Everything he had been feeling, been holding back,  crashing out with every clamored word.

“Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?” Kylo demanded, glaring at the General with piercing eyes.

“Why is this always about you?” Hux asked a little dazed.

Not listening, Kylo continued, “You almost died! What then? What would I do then? What would happen to the Order? Are you insane? This is exactly why I should’ve been down there!”

“Did we win?”

Silence dragged. They stared at each other. Hux with a questioning look, Kylo furious.

“No,” Kylo said, walking over and sitting on the bed.

“So I failed,” Hux said, he pushed the table of food in front of him away, and it rolled and hit the wall.

“We all failed, General.”

“I was the one in charge, this is on me.  _Milord_ ,” Hux glowered.

Kylo didn’t even argue. Responsible arse that Hux was there would be no point. A change intopicwould be better, so instead Kylo asked, “Does it still hurt?”

“What hurts?”

“Your cuts and bruises,” Kylo was tempted to throttle him.

“I’m fine, I guess,” Hux admitted, “The drugs are helping, but I’m tired.”

Kylo stretched his hand out again, this time touching at a cut on his lip, but Hux turned his head away.

Hand lingering there a moment, Kylo about to let it drop, but Hux grabbed it and so their hands clenched together tight between them, falling onto the bed.

“I was worried,” Kylo said, any anger or worry sweptaway. The Force now indicated that everything was fine.

“I gathered,” Hux replied, but he didn’t look at him. His eyes were cast down, staring at their hands. Hux brought his other hand on top ofKylo’s, tracing the back of his gloved knuckle. Of course Hux wasn’t wearing gloves, and Kylo noticed more bruises on his hands.

“You sure you’ll be okay?” Kylo asked, unable to look away from the bruising.

“I should get myself nearly blown up more often if this is the only time you show any care. Yes, physically, I’ll be fine. A few days in med bay and I can get back to work.”

Kylo scowled at Hux insisting on getting blown up more often. A throwaway line, but one that didn’t sit well with him.

Hux continued, “Still… we lost. Again. Lost some good men unnecessarily.”

“They won’t get away with this,” Kylo told him, “The Resistance wins time and time again. They can win their battles, but they won’t win the war and they won’t take you.”

“Won’t take me?” Hux’s eyebrow cocked up, a small smile appearing, “Take me how? Where in the galaxy did you get that idea?”

“You know what I mean,” Kylo said, not wanting to get all mushy, but Hux’s death would drive him insane. The Resistance wouldn’t take Hux from him. Never.

“Don’t let your worries burden you, Ren,” Hux said, keeping his eyes on him, “You’re right. We’ve lost battles, we lost this battle, but we may yet win the war. And nothing will happen to me or you. I have faith in us and our abilities.”

"Us?" Kylo asked, "You're so sure we can handle this?" 

"What makes you think we can't?" Hux asked with a frown.

"I'm not saying that," Kylo said quickly, "I'm just saying we... argue a lot. And what happened with you on the planet when it should've been me-,"

"Of for force's sake Ren," Hux interrupted, rolling his eyes, "We can sort things out, it's not that hard. Also I'm _not_ going to die! I'm filled with far too much spite."

Kylo smiled at that. Yes, more spite than anyone else would know. Not to mention the General's stubborn nature. Kylo was stubborn too, which was something that he would constantly hear. Hence the constant arguments between them. Yet Hux was right, they can sort things out. They always did.

"Besides, our arguments aren't as bad as they used to be," Hux said. 

"You're quite right," Kylo agreed, "Just... don't ever do this to me again." 

Hux smirked, "I'll try not to, but I can't make promises." 

They stared at each other, Kylo readying to ask him to promise, but they wereinterrupted by a doctor coming into the room. Both reacted by jerking their heads away from each other, letting go of each other’s hand. Hux leaned back again, Kylo standing up and taking his helmet, putting it on.

“Sorry, Sirs,” The Doctor said. It was the young one. The same one who dared to ask Kylo questions.

“I’ll report to the Supreme Leader thatyou’re awake,” Kylo said to Hux, glancing irritably at the Doctor before he headed out.

“Lord Ren’s been worried about you,” the doctor said, and he heard Hux’s reply just in time “Oh  _really_?”


End file.
